Elks National Convention expected to bring thousands to Minneapolis

TIM NELSON: Well, it's no Taylor Swift concert, but 6,000 people are expected in Minneapolis this weekend for the National Elks Convention. That's a national fraternal service organization like the Lions or the Kiwanis or the Moose. Paul Ryan is on the line. He's past national president of the Elks and lives in Willmar. Thanks for being here.

PAUL RYAN: Thank you, Tim.

TIM NELSON: So the Elks have been around forever, over 155 years. What's the value of an organization like this in 2023, in the age of Facebook groups and Zoom conferences?

PAUL RYAN: Well, the value is mostly to the communities that we serve. In the state of Minnesota, we serve 24 different communities. And inside those communities, the Elks Organization helps the veterans and the youth by giving away scholarships and helping homeless vets and throughout the state. So I wouldn't be able to put a number on it. I just think the value is just awesome to the communities that we do serve.

TIM NELSON: Now, lots of fraternal organizations are struggling to retain members these days. They're not as popular as they were in their peak. I read the Elks at one point had 1.6 million members in the 1970s. Now, it's like 775,000. How are you trying to attract new members and younger members?

PAUL RYAN: Well, I think the biggest attraction is going out and getting those people that want to be able to help within the communities, help give back to their communities and the people within their communities by giving service and giving funds, and so on, and so forth. So we go out, and we recruit whoever would like to join and be a part of the organization. And we're trying to get the younger members to understand the value of being able to serve.

TIM NELSON: Speaking of that, I saw one of your lodges in San Francisco, 600 of your 800 members there are under 40. How are you getting people away from streaming services and off their phones to get together?

PAUL RYAN: Well, I can't tell you how we do that nationwide, but I can tell you how we do it in Minnesota, and that is is that we have a beautiful camp up on Pelican Lake in near Nisswa, Minnesota, where we provide an opportunity for youth to be able to enjoy a camp setting for a week. And at that camp setting, there are no electronics. So we get them away from their phones and understand what nature is all about again. And they go away with absolute smiles on their faces every time they leave the camp.

TIM NELSON: You talked a little bit about donations and the camp and volunteering, but you're a service organization. What does that mean? How does that show up in the community?

PAUL RYAN: Well, the biggest way that it shows up is how we actually help. Such as in Hopkins, Minnesota, we have the welcome-home kit that we provide to homeless veterans, that we give them an opportunity to get into an apartment. We give them the necessary things in order to be able to sustain. And they've given away over 800 of those kits right here in Hopkins, Minnesota.

TIM NELSON: And like I said, you're gathering this weekend. What's going to be happening in Minneapolis? What are the highlights here?

PAUL RYAN: Well, we've got a bunch of highlights that are going on in regards to we have the current national president, Mr. Hidley, will be throwing out the first pitch at Target Field. We'll be giving away scholarships to our national winners. We'll be giving away $50,000 to male and female winners.

We got our hoop-shoot winners throughout the country that competed, and the national winners will be here. And then, of course, we're honored to have our guest speaker, Mr. Representative Dave Baker from the Willmar area, to be able to speak with us.

TIM NELSON: Sounds like a great weekend.

PAUL RYAN: And the best part about it is--

TIM NELSON: Sounds like a great weekend.

PAUL RYAN: Yeah.

TIM NELSON: Thanks so much for sharing with us, and you have a great gathering there in Minneapolis. Paul Ryan is past national president of the Elks.